Charles platz



(No Model.)

C.- PLATZ. RAILWAY SPIKE N0. 553,626. Patented Jan.28,1896.

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' w wss sss UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES PLATZ, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.

RAl LWAY-S PIKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0.'553,626, dated January28, 1896.

Application filed Septemb r 26, 1.895. Serial No. 563,705. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES PLATZ, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway- Spikes, ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part thereof, in which similar lettersof reference indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to railway-spikes and to looks therefor, and theobject thereof is to provide an improved device by means of which suchspikes may be securely held in the tie and the accidental removalthereof or the working loose of the spike prevented; and with this andother objects in view the invention consists in the construction,combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, ofwhich the accompanying drawings form a part, in which Figure 1 is asectional view of a rail, showing also my improved locking device for arailway-spike; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the spike; Fig. 3, a backView thereof, and Fig. 4 a view of my improved locking device.

In the practice of my invention I provide a railway-spike A, having theusual head B formed at the upper end, and in the back and sides of thespike is a groove C, which is adapted to receive my improved lock, whichconsists of a yoke D, the ends of the sides of which are pointed, asshown at (Z, and in the back of the spike, at the'upper end thereof, isalso formed a vertical slot E, which extends upwardly through the backof the groove 0 and through the head of the spike, as shown in Fig. 3and by the dotted line in Fig. 2.

The operation will be readily understood from the foregoing descriptionwhen taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. Therailway-rail F is placed in position upon the ties in the usual mannerand the spike A is then driven into the tie, so that the head 13 thereofwill overlap the base plate or flange. (Shown in Fig. 1.) The yoke D isthen driven into the spike, the position thereof being also shown inFig. 1, so that the closed end thereof will rest in the back of thegroove 0 and the sides thereof in the sides of the groove which areinclined forwardly and downwardly, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. When thelocking-yoke is thus driven into position, it will, as will be readilyunderstood, securely hold the spike in place, and the latter will notwork loose and cannot be removed without first removing the yoke.

It may be necessary at times to remove the spike, and for this purpose Iprovide the groove E, and whenever it becomes necessary to remove thespike a wedge or similar device is driven into said groove, and by thismeans the yoke may be removed, and after the yoke has been removed thespike may be withdrawn in the usual manner.

My invention is not limited to the exact form, construction andarrangement of parts herein shown and described, and I therefore reservethe right to make all such alterations therein and modifications thereofas fairly come within the scope of the invention.

Having fullydescribed my invention, I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent- 1. A railway spike, provided with the usual head, and agroove formed in the back and sides thereof below the head, the sides ofthe grooves being inclined forwardly and down wardly and a yoke adaptedto fit within said groove and to be driven into a tie, substantially asshown and described.

2. A railway spike, provided with the usual head, and a groove formed inthe back and sides thereof below the head, the sides of the groove beinginclined forwardly and downwardly and a yoke adapted to fit within saidgroove, and to be driven into a tie, said spike being provided at itsupper end with a longitudinal groove or slot in the back thereof, whichextends through the back of the head and back of said groove downwardly,substantially as shown and described.

3. A railway spike provided with the usual head as B, and a groove as 0,formed in the back and sides thereof below the head, and also with avertical groove or slot as E, said groove 0 being adapted to receive ayoke which is adapted to be driven into a tie, substantially as shownand described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed myname, in presence of the subscribing witnesses, this 25th day ofSeptember, 1895.

CHARLES PLATZ.

Witnesses:

O. GERsT, A. O. MCLOUGHLIN.

